Damper for talking-machines



R. E. L. JANNEY. DAMPER FOR TALKING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25.1918.

Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT E. L. JANNEY, O1 GI-IECAGO, ILLINOIS.

DATJIELR FOB TALKING-MACHINES.

Application filed June 25,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT E. L. JANNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful linprovernents in Dampers for Talking-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to varying the tone of a talking machine at will while the same is in operation, said variation being accomplished by means capable of being operated at a distance therefrom to suit the convenience oi"- the operator, this operation being similar to the well known action of the pedals 01" a piano or other musical instrument. it is obvious that this variation must be capable of being attained instantaneously, as sometinies it may be desired to vary the tone even of a single note, and it is obvious also that the adjustment rnust not interfere with the action of the sound-box or its part in their movements following the undulations in the record.

This object 1 accomplish in the manner and 3y the means hereinafter more particularly described and claimed, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawing, n-

which Figure l isa side elevation of a soundbox having my improved darnper attach- ,pplied thereto, said box being shown broken away.

2 is a. front view of the same. 3 is a top plan view detached of the bracket and its parts which support the damper.

Fig. l a front view of said bracket with parts detached. 7

5 is detail perspective view of the upper portion of the damper supporting bracket.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the damping pad.

Similar numerals of reference denote corresponding parts in the several views.

in the said drawing, the reference numeral 1 denotes a conventional sound-box, having fined therein the usual diaphragm and ha 'ing pivotally mounted at its bottom brac 3, carrying the stylus 4, all of which parts are of conventlonal torni.

Clamped to the top or" the sound-box, by means oi arms 5, engaging the inner race .1 the sound box, and legs 6 and 7 disposed against the rear face of the sound-box, is a bracket 8. One of the legs 7 is pivoted to Specification of Letters Patent.

1918. Serial No. 241,732.

the bracket 8 at 9, and both of said legs 6 and 7 are inturned or hoolred at their lower ends 10 to engage around the edge of the sound-box 1, as shown. In order to clamp said legs in their adjusted position 1 prdvioe a rod 11 swiveled in a lug 12 on one the legs and having its other end passed through a similar lug 13 on the other leg, said rod being threa led at its outer end to receive a wing nut 11, whereby the legs 6 d I may e drawn toward each other, more l I to clamp the device upon the back of e s rind-box, in a manner readily underivot d ears let on said bracket e -e"tured near its upper end a rod 16, that at its other "1 an upstanding lug 17 on "ear end of said being eade receive thereon nut 18, re bein CLISQOQCl on said arin between t and nien ber a coiled socnct 20, in which is niovably dis- "og pad 21, in a thinible 's attached to rod passle sheatl 24-, which at its e thereto hand-hold 25, .id rod 23 projects, the latter being provided i h a knob disposed between said tion, the member 15 will be presse ph. 2, a pressure exerted upon the knob 26, will, through the rod 23, force the pad ownward obliquely against the dia- I n 2 near 1t-s outer edge. A further dour vard pressure on the knob 26 will cause aid ad to move in slidingcontact with the d ahragin 2 toward the point of attachnereto oi the stylus a, this movement ing permitted by reason of the pivotal supt of s 'd dainper through the member 15, ring 19 yielding suiiiciently to accoming a gradually increasing tension upon the member 15 as the pad 21 approaches the *tylus 4.

It is obvlous that a damper touching the 1 such movem nt and necessaril eXertdiaphragm will affect the tone in proportion to its distance from the center of vibra tion, and for that reason I have provided means for shifting the point of contact toward and from said center, there-by .obtaining a maximum range of variation, it being understood that the dam er or pad '21 is adapted to be moved far enough actuout any substantial damping effect, it being essential that the damper be of substantially unyielding material, and in order to protect the diaphragm from scratching, and yet not affect the firm contact of the damper 21, said damper is thinly covered wi h felt or other suitable material 27 as shown in Fig. 6, for the purpose of absorbing any scratching or jarring vibration which otherwise would be produced between the damper 21 and the diaphragm particularly at the moment of contact. It has been found that not only does my improved device serve effectively as a damper, but that the contact of the pad 21 with the diaphragm cuts off all. excess vibration of the diaphragm and thereby improves the tone of the sound...

I do not wish to confine myself to the specific construction shown for applying the damping pad to the diaphragm, as the details of the same may be varied materially, the essential objects of the inventionvbcing to provide means for damping the diaphragm, and also for varying the point of contact of the damper withrcspect to the stylus or center of the diaphragm, .to give the greatest range of variation. Thus, I may employ means other than the rod 23 for manipulating the damper, such, for instance, as a pneumatically operated mechanism, as readily will be understood.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A damper for talking machines, com prising a damping pad, and means for adjusting it into and out of contact with the talking machine diaphragm, and, while in contact therewith varying its position on said diaphragm.

2. A damper for. talking machines, comprising a damping pad formed of substantiall Y 1111 ieldin material and means for adjusting it into and out of contact with the talking machine diaphragm, and, while in contact therewith, varying its position on said diaphragm. v v

8. A damperfor talking machines, comprising a damping pad, means for pivotally supporting the same in position, means for forcing it into contact with thediaphragm, and means for varying its position on said diaphragm while in saidcontact.

at. The combination with a sound-box, and its diaphragm, of a bracket clamped to said box, a damper holder pivoted to said bracket, a damper adjustably carried by said holder, and means for forcing said damperinto contact with said diaphragm and for shifting it while in contact therewith toward and from the stylus.

5. The combination with a sound-box, and its diaphragm, of a bracket clamped to said box, damper holder pivoted to said bracket, means on said bracket and damper holder for applying spring pressure to said holder, a damper adjustably carried by said holder,

andmeans for forcing said damper into contact with said diaphragm.

6. The combination with a sound-box, and

its ciaphragm, of a bracket clamped to said box, adamper holder pivoted to said bracket,

means on said bracket and damper for applying spring pressure to said holder, a damper adjustably carried by said holder, and means for forcing said damper into contact with said diaphragm and for shiftingit while in contact there ith toward and from the stylus.

7. A device of the character specified comprising a sound box, a diaphragm mounted in the sound box, actuating mechanism connected with substantially the central portion of said diaphragm. and capable of vibrating said diaphragm when in cooperation with a suitable record, and a stop of hard material and having a relatively small portion bearing on the face of the diaphragm, and means to guide said stop whereby it may be adjusted across the face of the diaphragm toward or from the central portion of said diaphragm.

8. A device for limiting the amplitude of vibration of a diaphragm of a phonograph reproducer or the like comprising a nonabrasive stop of hard material, movable means for carrying said stop to permit said step to be'moved across thefaceof said diaphra m and means for ad'ustin the pressure of said'stop against the diaphragm. In testimony whereof, I hereunto set'my hand this lttiiday of June, 1918.

ROBERT E. L. JANNEY. 

